That '70s Show star Mila Kunis doesn’t look like your typical gamer, but she’s proven her WoW prowess, even telling Jimmy Kimmel she’s a “really kickass Mage.” And quizzed by Complex magazine, Kunis knew the name of the expansion pack (Wrath of the Lich King) and could name the playable races—all worthy enough for Wired readers to deem her one of the Sexiest Geeks of 2008. But longtime boyfriend Macaulay Culkin is an even bigger fan, and was able to jump in on her Complex interview to name all the geographic features of the fictional world of Azeroth. Now the couple’s seven-year relationship makes sense: Like attracts like.
Chris Polk, FilmMagic / Getty Images
Comedian Dave Chappelle is known for being flighty—his abrupt departure from his immensely popular Chappelle’s Show hit comedy fans hard—but he remains dedicated to World of Warcraft. Shortly after his trip to South Africa to escape the pressures of fame, he told fans at a gig, “You know what I’ve been playing a lot of?—World of Warcraft!” and upon receiving a favorable response, said “I knew I had some geek brothers and sisters up in here!”
Retna
The popularity of WoW has surpassed a cult following, but a commercial starring William Shatner was undoubtedly made to cash in on his even more massive Star Trek following. Captain Kirk dons a long robe and professes to be a Tauren Shaman in the 2007 spot asking “What 's Your Game?”
Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images
The South Park creators gave WoW a high pop-culture endorsement by devoting an entire 10th-season episode to the game. “Make Love, Not Warcraft” aired in 2006 and centered around Cartman recruiting the other cartoon boys to obsessively play 21 hours a day in order to defeat an obnoxious adult player who kills off characters. Surprisingly, Blizzard Entertainment, the company that created WoW, worked with the series to recreate scenes and emulate the game on television. It was all worthwhile—the episode won an Emmy the following year for Outstanding Animated Program.
Kevin Winter / Getty Images
The brawny actor isn’t afraid to let his geeky side show. In a recent British TV interview with Jonathan Ross, the Fast and the Furious actor revealed he is huge WoW fan after growing up playing Dungeons & Dragons. Diesel wouldn’t reveal his level or which character he plays, instead coyly saying he’s “deadly.”
Tim Whitby / Getty Images
The comedian has been known to riff on online game-playing, but that’s only because he’s also a member of the club. In an interview a few years ago, Williams said one of his favorite games was the World of Warcraft precursor Warcraft III, although he never reveals his true identity to his chat friends. And if his professed dedication to games isn’t enough, it should be pointed out that his daughter is named Zelda. Yes, after that Zelda.
Matt Sayles / AP Photo
The diminutive Austin Powers actor displayed his online alter-ego—a Gnome Mage, of course—in a 2007 commercial for the game. The ad series was released to boost the visibility of the slightly under-the-radar fantasy universe. With nine million subscribers in 2007, and 11.5 million at last count, the addition of celebrity talent seems to have helped its cause.
Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images
WoW got a serious—and seriously hilarious—endorsement when Mr. T starred in a 2007 ad hawking the game and his (fictional?) avatar, a Night Elf Mohawk. When the foolish director claimed there was no such thing, the tough guy responded “Maybe Mr. T. hacked the game and created a Mohawk class. Maybe Mr. T is pretty handy with computers.” We believe you, T. We believe you.
Eric Charbonneau / Getty Images
BlizzCon, an annual gamer fair hosted by WoW developer Blizzard Entertainment, kicked off last week and comedian Jay Mohr returned to MC the event and hosted costume and dance contests for the second year. The announcement of Cataclysm, the highly anticipated third expansion pack for the series, was widely hailed as a move that would change the game—and its setting in Azeroth—forever.
Jennifer Graylock / AP Photo
He may have portrayed one of science fiction’s most-beloved character in Lord of the Rings, but for Elijah Wood, diving into a fantasy world wasn’t for show. Frodo Baggins is also a huge gamer in real life and has said he is an avid WoW player. Might he be angling for a starring role in Sam Raimi’s upcoming film adaptation? Few actors have better credentials.
Tammie Arroyo / AP Photo
It’s unclear whether the former Walker, Texas Ranger star has his own avatar in the multiplayer game, but it hardly matters. “Chuck Norris Facts”—those little tidbits of information about how invincible the actor is—are often repeated between players in the game and have become a huge part of the community. Example: “"If Chuck Norris is late, time better slow down.”
Jeff Golden / Getty Images
Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling manages to be a jock and—dare we say—a nerd at the same time. He hasn’t been shy about his gaming habits, saying, “I am a hopelessly hooked World of Warcraft player now. I resisted the urge, trying to defend my stance as a ‘hard-core’ gamer for years…I want to have fun, and WoW is fun.” Schilling says he plays in a guild called “The Burning Hole” with friends and family members and that “the ability to unwind, be myself and not worry about things for a few hours is incredibly refreshing.”
Pool / Getty Images
His biggest role was playing the Man of Steel, but now Brandon Routh might have his sights set on another science-fiction project. Evil Dead director Sam Raimi’s recently announced Warcraft adaptation has Routh, who spoke about the film at this year’s Comic-Con, excited for some possible future sword-fighting. Should Superman hang up his tights to play King Varian Wrynn instead?
Evan Agostini / AP Photo
Felicia Day—most well-known for her roles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the huge viral musical Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog—gave WoW tips to novice player Jimmy Fallon before his talk-show debut. Day says her “latest and worst” addiction was to WoW, and tried to help out Fallon, who bought the game and kept getting killed. One of her beginning tips was to think of the game as a big commitment, dig deep, and ask “Who am I?” Fallon, apparently, prefers his avatar to be called “Davarburst.” Which explains why his character was killed a lot.
Matt Sayles / AP Photo
